


How to Share a Consort

by ohitsthatchumlord



Series: How to Claim a Consort [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Bickering, Canon Era, Court Sorcerer Merlin (Merlin), Domestic Fluff, Essentially Gwen and Arthur fighting over Merlin, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Love Confessions, M/M, Misunderstandings, Multi, Oblivious Merlin (Merlin), Polyamory, Polyamory Negotiations, Post-Magic Reveal, Teasing, They bicker like children
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-02
Updated: 2020-09-02
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:06:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,054
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26246875
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohitsthatchumlord/pseuds/ohitsthatchumlord
Summary: Merlin catches Gwen and Arthur fighting over him but mistakes the reason why.
Relationships: Gwen/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Gwen/Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Series: How to Claim a Consort [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1906672
Comments: 1
Kudos: 175





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, I found a bunch of WIPs I wrote in high school on an old thumb-drive and thought I’d fix them up and share them. I only had about the first 1.5 chapters written, so the writing style may change after that because my writing got 10x soppier.
> 
> Anyway, I think this takes place several years after Arthur and Gwen are happily married, magic is now legal, and Merlin is the court sorcerer. Btw, Merlin and Gwen are like 24 here and Arthur is 26. I aged up Merlin and Gwen from their canon ages, because unpopular opinion from 16-year-old me who first wrote this ‘a 26-year-old actor cannot convincingly play a 16 year old no matter how many times they say ‘boy’’, thanks.

“Guinevere, love, have you ever thought of having a consort?” Shifting curls fall off the dark skin of Gwen’s shoulder, instead settling into place spilled out on the downy pillow beside her head. Queen Guinevere looks up at her husband, the surprise is clearly stated in the pull of her brow and the firm stare with which she is addressing the questioning gaze. The king expected this, if not planned for it. Arthur kept his face stony, devoid of any hints to the answer he was looking for, which Gwen finds extremely unsettling.

The immediate denial, that’s almost programmed into faithful spouses, is on the tip of the queen’s, all of a sudden, overly wet tongue, but she refrains from an outright negative. After a moment to think on Arthur’s unforeseen query, the contemplative woman responds with her usual careful tone. “I don’t wish for one, no. However, the idea had crossed my mind some time ago, but not so much after marrying the love of my life.”

Arthur’s disarming grin, accompanying a firm squeeze to Gwen’s shoulder, where his hand is caressing the soft skin of her bicep, is met with a returned, yet far more cautious smile.

“I didn’t mean to accuse you of straying loyalties, that wasn’t my intention, Guinevere. I just wanted to know if there was anyone that has caught your eye, recently, or in the past.” The blond runs his hand over Gwen’s shoulder and neck in a soothing manner, drawing out a small giggle from the woman resting on his left side.

Tilting her face more into the crook of her lover’s neck, the bare woman brings her hand up to rest on the other side of Arthur’s pleasantly warm, sweat-dampened shoulder. The king sighs softly, joining his wife’s hand with his own atop her positioned digits.

Gwen knows she has had many instances where she was infatuated with a pretty local stable boy, or some handsome knight that had come into her father’s shop. Yet recently, since becoming Arthur’s queen, she’s only had eyes for him.

Before that though, when her husband was still just a silly prince, and she didn’t know him very well, there was that one servant. _Yes._ Gwen thinks. There was that time, before Arthur, when the new serving boy in Camelot had caught her eye.

It doesn’t take much prompting for images of the cheeky, grinning manservant of Arthur’s to come to the front of the queen’s mind. Merlin did have a very good smile, still does. Grinning at the thought of the long since passed time in the market when she had fallen all over herself and given him a small purple flower.

She really had been besotted with the young warlock, although she hadn’t known he possessed magic at the time. Yet, after their friendship had grown and she grew to love Arthur, her flustering about after the gangly teen had all but disappeared.

Gwen sighs dreamily before answering her husband, no need to sugar coat it. “Well, there was this one serving boy.” Glancing at Arthur before continuing, she makes sure there are no shifts in his expression to ones of distaste. “He was quite adorable, and incredibly nice. I think that was the first time I liked a boy, aside from his looks. Although that was definitely a part of my infatuation.”

Gwen blushed after realizing how much she had revealed. She wasn’t so much worried about Arthur’s anger, more her own embarrassment of how much she had thought of the current court sorcerer.

The king showed no signs of malcontent though, only amused curiosity. “Do I know him?” Arthur muses. Gwen snorts softly into Arthur’s pulse. Catching wind of her amusement, he reiterates. “Do I know the boy who caused my queen to trip over her words in her youth?”

Struggling not to snort again, Gwen stifles her laughter even more, amusement choking her sentences. “I’d be more concerned if you didn’t know him, he’s hard to miss.” Arthur kisses the top of his wife’s head, wrapping his right arm around Gwen’s waist, pulling her tightly into his side again, before relaxing and resting his cheek on her crown.

“It sounds like you’re talking about Merlin, love.” Feeling his queen tense in his arm, he nuzzles into her wild hair, smelling the honey and jasmine bath soaps she’d bathed in earlier that evening. “It’s fine. I can understand why you’d find him irresistible; he was quite the adorable mess. Too bad that still holds true; plus, the annoying ‘growing into his looks’ thing.”

Gwen finally unburied her face to look up at the smug looking blond. “Arthur?” His shining eyes reflect more mischief than anything else, which helps to calm Gwen’s tense nerves. Amusement was clearly the dominant feeling throughout the conversation, but Gwen couldn’t help but detect a hint of seriousness that seemed unlikely with the topic.

“Yes, love?”

Holding back nervousness, the young woman’s confusion is apparent, more in her eyes than her strung out words. “I... What do you- you think . . . Are you saying?” Arthur actually laughs this time, muffling it by working his way into the soft curly locks that always smell so much like ‘Gwen.’

Still hidden in the layers of hair, the king laughs into her scalp. “I-ha. I’m just saying that I can’t blame you.” Pausing to contain his chuckles enough to continue, he then removes his lower jaw from her hair, but returns to the original position with his cheek on her crown.

“It’s not like you were the only one who thought he was quite the catch. Granted, he was, and still is, an idiot, but I agree with him being adorable. Maybe, not so much anymore in appearance though. Don’t get me wrong, he’s endearing most of the time, but why does he insist on being infuriatingly attractive?”

Arthur shifts his pout into a sharp grin. “And don’t tell me you don’t think so; I’ve seen you looking Guinevere. When were you going to tell me you wanted to shag him too? This just makes things easier.”

Gwen finally put a stop to her husband’s chastisement by placing her hand over his lips when he makes to draw another breathe. Her confusion had disappeared and, in its place, came the same amusement that seemed to befall Arthur only minutes earlier.

Leaning up on her elbow in the space between the tanned underarm, Gwen looks down at her silent husband with a contradicting grin. “Now, whoever said I wanted to shag him? I don’t remember telling you anything about taking Merlin to bed.” Kissing her husband’s nose, she leans in and murmurs softly. “Although, now that you bring it up, it doesn’t sound that bad an idea.”

Arthur leans up to lay a kiss on the corner of Gwen’s upturned mouth before responding. “Oh Gwenny, love. It’s quite obvious when you are staring with interest at someone, I should know, I’ve gotten that moony look for years.” When Arthur makes to pull her on top of him, to rest on his chest, she obliges, situating her elbows on either side of his neck to hold her mouth just above his. Their naked legs tangle in the sheets slightly, making it difficult to change positions, but that’s fine with them.

“Just because I think he’s delicious looking, doesn’t mean I always wanted to shag him. Plus, I’m married, doesn’t that mean I shouldn’t be looking to bed anyone other than you?” Gwen kisses Arthur fiercely, before pulling away after a chaste couple seconds. “When did you start fancying Merlin?”

Arthur focuses his eyes up and away as if he’s thinking about the moment he started liking his former manservant. Shifting his attention back to the warm eyes above him, he holds Gwen’s gaze with a look of sincerity. “I don’t know the moment I started to think of Merlin in any other way than my best friend, manservant, idiot, or anything else, but I remember the moment when I realized I hadn’t thought of him as just a friend in a long while. It didn’t really make sense. I think I always noticed things about him that weren’t strictly appropriate for a master to think about his manservant, but I didn’t want to acknowledge them.”

Arthur runs his fingers up Gwen’s shoulder blades, making her shiver. “I love you, Guinevere. It took me a while to fall in love, but I’ll never stop loving you, even if this mutual interest in Merlin isn’t something you want to pursue. I just want to give that relationship a chance, like I gave ours, and if possible, we can all have something together, if that’s what you want.”

Gwen ran her fingers up into the straight, if slightly disheveled, strands of blond hair, holding the stern looking man’s head in place, while she kissed him deeply. She ran her tongue along his lip, and when he opened his mouth for her, she took the chance to quickly lick the top of his mouth, suck his tongue, and then retreat back into her own mouth, but not before leaving a nip on his lower lip. Arthur groaned as his head rested back down on the pillow, almost sounding like a whine, but that would be undignified of the king of Camelot.

“I love you too, Arthur. I always will. But what if he doesn’t want both of us, or none at all? What if it doesn’t work out? I couldn’t bear the thought of losing one, or both, of my best friends.” The strained look on Gwen’s face was quickly wiped away with another deep kiss, one that lasted a lot longer than the first ones.

Holding his wife’s beautiful face in his hands, he reassures her with his next soothing words. “You won’t, love. We’ll see if he’s interested. If not, it won’t matter. Merlin’s a big boy, he can handle a little attention, even if it isn’t reciprocated. Even if it doesn’t end up lasting, he’s Merlin. I don’t think he’ll hold it against us.”

Gwen finally lowered her upper torso and wrapped her arms around Arthur’s neck so that her nose was pressed against his pulse again. “I don’t want a one-time thing, Guinevere, and I don’t think that’s what you want either.” Arthur wrapped his muscled arms around Gwen’s strong shoulders, stroking her spine, while she gave a contented sigh into his neck.

“Do you love him?” Gwen’s voice was small, but not with nervousness, she was most likely falling asleep, it was at best an hour past midnight, if not more. She said it calmly, more of a curious inquiry than anything else.

Arthur held her tighter. “Not yet, but I could, if he let me.” It was silent in the room for a few minutes before the king spoke again. “Plus, don’t you think our bedchambers would be more lively with three people, instead of two?” Gwen snorted and half-heartedly smacked his chest, before resuming her position and closing her eyes to sleep.

“It would. Goodnight, my king.”

“Goodnight, love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not from the UK, but I attempted changing some of the vernacular to match the show, so let me know there's anywhere I need to fix.
> 
> Also, I'm not particularly attached to the title of this fic, but I couldn't think of a better one, so if anyone has better ideas, hmu in the comments.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur and Gwen get caught bickering and Merlin agrees to be shared.

“You can’t call claim to his ears, you just said they were ridiculous.” Gwen huffed, sitting at the throne beside her husband’s.

Arthur petulantly stuck his lower lip out, before huffing right back. “I can too, just because I said they were ridiculous, doesn’t mean they aren’t bloody magnificent as well.”

The argument had started a few days later, almost as soon as they had woken up in the morning, just after Merlin had walked out of their shared chambers. Although, Merlin was the court sorcerer now, he still held to some of his former duties as Arthur’s manservant, but more out of tradition than duty.

Merlin finds it hilarious to wake Arthur up with the early morning sun, or as Arthur calls it ‘the heaven’s cruel punishment for existing’. Gwen, after her years as a maidservant, was accustomed to getting up at dawn, or earlier, so the morning sun was a pleasant way to start her day. She also found it amusing how much Arthur hated the first couple minutes of waking up. That didn’t mean she denied him from burrowing back into her warmth under the blankets.

Gwen hummed, waiting for Arthur’s head to pop back up from under the thick blankets, thinking. Slowly, she voiced the thoughts running through her head since Merlin opened the curtains. “If he starts sharing the bed with us, he gets the side closest to the window.” She saw the glittering effect the beams left as they glanced off Merlin’s pale skin. It almost looked like it was glistening.

The enhanced paleness of his skin seemed to make the rest of his dark features stand out as well. They made it that much easier for Gwen to catch the look of mirth the sorcerer directed at Arthur when he hid away from the sun.

Sadly, since her husband was so averted to the sun in the morning, he could never see the early dawn light pull the color of sapphire out of Merlin’s blue eyes. When he smiled, his eyes crinkled around the edges. Merlin was beautiful in the mornings, Gwen decided.

After the simple demand, they had both gone into debate about what Merlin’s top physical features were and delegating who got to claim which one. Breakfast had already passed, so had a boring meeting with stuffy nobles, yet they were still fighting over who got to monopolize which part of Merlin’s body, should they ever get permission from the man in question, of course.

“Fine, if you get his ears, then I get his lips.” Gwen gave a self-satisfied smirk.

“No, out of the question.” Arthur states. The queen swivels her body to point at the royal chair beside her.

“You can’t do that. That’s not fair. You just got his ears, and you don’t even like them. If you get to have his ears, which I’ve like far longer than you have, by the way, then his lips belong to me.” Gwen demands haughtily. Arthur reluctantly concedes defeat.

He groans loudly, the sound echoing around the large vaulted ceiling. “Fine, then I get his hip bones. You haven’t seen him with a shirt off; they’re utterly gorgeous and _entirely_ mine.”

Finally finding a point she won’t refute Arthur on, she acquiesces and makes a counteroffer. “I have your hips. Although, Merlin might fight me for them. He doesn’t get your shoulders, though, those are definitely mine. I want his arms.”

“Only if I get his neck.” Arthur retorts.

“But you got his ears. You can’t have his neck, _and_ his ears.” Gwen cries.

“I can too, I’m the bloody king!” Their argument was becoming childish, but they didn’t care. Not only was it something they’d have to eventually figure out, it was highly entertaining for both of them to talk about the man they wanted in their shared bed.

“And I’m your _wife_. You can have one side, but I get his collar bones. Both of them.” Their faces were flushed with the heat of their immature squabbling, but they didn’t seem to want to stop for anything.

“No way! If I am sharing his neck, then you can share his collar bones.” They were almost shouting now, but this didn’t seem to faze them, not even when the door was pushed open and in walked a man clad in attire fitting of a court sorcerer.

“I don’t have to share anything, that’s not the way this works.” At the end of her response, Gwen caught movement in the corner of her eye, finally noticing the robed figure standing in front of them. The robed figure that just happened to be the man they were arguing about. Her eyes widened and she attempted to use only her eyebrows and wild hand gestures to keep Arthur from retorting yet was unfortunately unsuccessful when, moments later, her husband blundered ahead regardless.

“Guinevere, I love you, but I’m fairly certain you missed that this entire argument is about how we are to _share_ Merlin.” Arthur stated smugly, punctuating the end of his comment with a hand on his hip. Gwen held her breath and made a mental note to swat Arthur later for being an arrogant idiot.

“Um, what?” a startled yelp could be heard emanating from the warlock who was standing not but a few footsteps from the dais.

At last heeding Gwen’s belated warning, the king noticed his court sorcerer in the throne room. Merlin stared at them agape with a look of dismay coloring his features. Arthur gulped, Merlin knows and now, whatever his reaction, it sealed the king and queen’s fate.

Guinevere, always quick-witted and clever, recovers hastily and takes control of the situation, “We, Arthur and I, would like to share you, if you’d allow us.” The queen smiles sweetly, her dimple on full display in an effort to properly entice the sorcerer. Arthur nods at the startled man to confirm his accord with the queen’s statement.

To the royal couple’s surprise, Merlin rushes to reply, his words spilling out of his mouth before they could be properly formed. “Whaaof course, you both have already been sharing me, haven’t you? I mean, I’m allowed in your joint chambers and I did not think I would be after your marriage.”

A sword-roughened hand takes one of Gwen’s and squeezes. The royal’s glance at each other with blinding smiles, before turning their grins towards their newly acquired lover. Merlin joins in and beams back at them.

Before they can gather the court sorcerer in their arms for a long-awaited embrace, the trio is interrupted by one of the knights bursting through the throne room’s doors. Arthur sighs. They will have to finish this conversation another time it seems.

***

“I can’t believe he wants us back. It still feels like a dream.” Gwen gushes. She has seated herself on their breakfast table, facing the bed where Arthur reclines luxuriously against his many pillows.

“Me neither. Why do you think he hasn’t joined us yet? It’s been a full day,” the king muses while spinning, between his forefinger and thumb, a flower, which he’d previously plucked from the bouquet resting on the dresser nearest the door.

“I don’t know, perhaps he’s shy. I don’t think I’ve ever actually seen him flustered around someone he likes, have you?” The queen hops off the hard wood seat to trail slowly over to her wardrobe. Gwen thinks it’s silly to have an entirely separate clothing cupboard to her husband, however, she’s been told many of her dresses need the room because they cannot be bent or folded without ruining them. She begins unlacing the bottom of her structured bodice where she could reach from the awkward angle.

“That’s not it, that idiot doesn’t know the meaning of shy.” Arthur finally looks up from his flower twirling to spot his wife struggling to unlace her dress. He chuckles, but still promptly walks over to help her.

“Are you sure? He somehow managed to fool you into thinking he was an idiot, when we both know that man has far more wit than either of us. Who’s to say he doesn’t have more hidden depths?” Arthur had reached the laces at the top of her bodice. Slipping the glittering fabric down the queen’s smooth, dark skin, he allows the dress to pile up on the floor.

“I’m quite sure. Merlin is many things, but I have never known him to be shy or cautious.” The blond rests his hands gently on Gwen’s hips, burying his face in the queen’s soft curls.

While idly covering one tan hand at her hip with her own and bringing the other around Arthur’s neck to pull him closer, Gwen mulls over the situation and thinks back to what happened in the throne room. “Well, then maybe we need to be more direct in asking him. He is quite polite when he wants to be, so perhaps he’s waiting for a formal invitation.”

Inhaling the sharp yet smooth scent of lavender oil at her hairline, the king’s focus is momentarily derailed from the current conversation as flickering memories seep in of Gwen’s hair feeling and smelling just like this in the throes of passion. As his thoughts drift though, Arthur comes up with an utterly fitting solution, if he does say so, to their problem.

The king hums in acknowledgment, which releases a shivery assault on Gwen’s right ear in the form of a fluttering exhale to the shell and rumbling reverberations at the hard press of bone behind it where Arthur had found a resting place for his lips. He then questions, “What would you have us say to him, Guinevere? ‘Hello Merlin, we would very much like it if you joined us in our bedchambers tonight so we can ravish you, please come’.”

Gwen snorts, and swats the king’s wandering hand at her hip. “Be serious, Arthur. We can’t scare him off,” the queen admonishes.

“I am being serious. I think a _hands-on_ approach would get to the point far quicker.” As he murmurs this into her ear, Arthur emphasizes his true intensions by squeezing her hips and nipping at the warm skin of his wife’s neck.

The queen finds herself gasping. To encourage Arthur’s ministrations, she further arches her neck into his lips and tightly grasps the hair at the nape of his neck to drag his mouth where she wants it. The blond groans and steadfastly works his lips up and down her neck in appreciation. Whenever her lover hits a tender spot, Gwen tightens her one-handed grip and scratches lightly at his scalp, as she knows he likes.

Summoning all her focus not currently affixed to Arthur’s hot tongue on her neck or his deft hands rucking up the bottom of her shift, Gwen turns and states with impatient conviction, “Fine. I will speak with him first, then you can try your approach. Now take me to bed.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love writing Gwen so much. She is perfect.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Merlin fails to make a move Gwen attempts to set up a rendezvous in the royal chambers.

The next morning, after a hearty breakfast in bed and an impromptu massage to relax her pleasantly sore thigh muscles, Gwen manages to catch Merlin alone in an upper east wing corridor, just as he turns a corner.

“Oh Merlin, hello,” she cheers brightly down the hallway, loud enough to catch Merlin’s attention. The court sorcerer comes to a stumbling halt, awkwardly catching himself on the wall in order to stop his momentum. The queen stifles a giggle at the adorable scene.

“Good morning, Gwen,” he beams back at her without a care in the world. Merlin’s full attention is on Gwen as he waits for her to walk up the corridor towards him.

“Good morning. How have you been?” The queen allows herself to drift closer to where Merlin is leaning against the wall.

“Pretty good, other than listening to Gaius lecture me on frivolous magic use, even though its completely legal now, and I was only fine tuning some chore spells that caused some issue last time I used them cleaning your chambers. Don’t tell Arthur, but I haven’t managed to fix the bad patch job in his formal jacket yet.” As the talkative man rambles on, he takes ahold of one of her palms between his own in an exaggerated plea to keep this information secret from her husband.

Gwen places her other palm over her ridiculous new lover’s clasped hands, rubbing soothing circles into his wrist. “Of course, I won’t. Your secret is safe with me,” Guinevere states with more sincerity than the moment truly calls for and she feels herself submerged in the feeling of trust built between them in their years of friendship.

When the queen sees the previously unguarded man’s face dissolve into an almost imperceptible blush, she crows a silent victory in her head. Not shy, her arse.

She continues the soothing yet genuine approach, as it seems to fluster Merlin adorably. “And I’m sure Gaius means well.” Her voice is quiet and breathy in the small space between them, drawing even more attention to how, at some point, she’d closed the distance separating them, physical and emotional.

“Speaking of chores, you don’t need to wait on us hand and foot anymore, Merlin. I want you to know, that Arthur and I think of you as an equal, in every way. I know we weren’t able to finish our conversation from the other day, but when you agreed to be ours, we were overjoyed. Completely so.” Gwen trails her finger tips up the blushing man’s forearm, dipping just under his robe’s sleeve’s and circling the skin hidden by the soft grey fabric.

Gwen is slightly disappointed her touch does not elicit goose pimples to erupt over his arm as the same contact would do to Arthur.

The warlock has his gaze averted from hers, locked on their clasped hands below them, and says, as though he believes it, “Oh, well I mean I’m not that special. I can only do a couple magic tricks, but I’m not on the same level as king and queen.” Simultaneously, a wave of sadness and fury erupts within her. Who in their right mind could tell Merlin he wasn’t special? Who dared to make Merlin feel this way? She hopes it wasn’t her, and if her foolish husband had anything to do with this beautiful man’s sad smile, she will make him regret it.

The queen steps forward, even farther into the dark-haired man’s space, and cups his cheek. “Nonsense, you are one of the most amazing magic users in this century and we couldn’t be more proud of you for everything you’ve accomplished. Everything you’ve done for Camelot, for Arthur, _for me¸_ has me so undeniably grateful to have met you. You’re entirely special and wonderful in every way. That’s how Arthur and I see you, at least.” Heat envelops her face as she says this, she means it with her whole being, but those words are such a vulnerable part of her.

Merlin finally meets her gaze, eyes searching, “Really, even Arthur?”

“Especially Arthur.” She pinches his cheek lightly before stroking it in a soothing motion. “He doesn’t like to admit it sometimes, but he’s always thought of you that way.”

Leaning into her caresses, the magic user closes his eyes and admits, “That’s . . . reassuring. I’ve known the prat forever, but sometimes I don’t know where I stand with him.” Gwen ignores how shaky his voice comes out.

With an even tone, the queen reassures him, “You stand beside him, just as I do.” She pats his cheek one final time and moves to pull away, let Merlin get on with whatever she interrupted him from doing earlier.

Before she can, Merlin pulls her into a long-limbed embrace and whispers into her neck softly, “Thanks Gwen.” She returns the warm hug with as much strength as she can muster.

“Anytime.” Gwen breaths into his tempting collar bones. Then, even more softly kisses his cheek meaningfully, “And Merlin. . . we want you with us tonight, if that’s what you want too.” The queen holds her breath, awaiting Merlin’s final response.

He pulls back to reveal a familiar wide grin, “Of course, I’d love to! I’d be glad to join you.” Gwen breaths and smiles back at him, in fact, she continues smiling at his retreating figure as he walks backwards down the adjoining hallway he’d meant to go down earlier, waving the entire way. She laughs joyfully when he’s out of earshot. She can’t wait to tell Arthur.

*******

Gwen is incredibly smug. Her smirk has Arthur pinned in his seat, poorly attempting to hide his immature pouting. Merlin had joined them for dinner, smilier and more candid than usual. The king and queen had listened, enraptured as the court sorcerer gave a theatrical retelling of his day dealing with stuffy council members and condescending nobles.

The entire meal had an air of comfortable exuberance. When Arthur and Gwen had responded with their own anecdotes about visiting royalty and some of Gwen’s father’s old customers, the court sorcerer had snorted and giggle, spoken with his mouth open, and gesticulated wildly with his silverware in reaction. It was endearing, if not completely charming in how unrefined his actions were.

After, scraping their plates clean, finishing off their goblets of sweet, tangy wine, and tapering off their conversation, the trio splits up to freshen up after dinner with the assumption they would reconvene in the royal bedchambers.

And yet, once the royal couple had retired to their bedchambers, Merlin never showed. They waited for half an hour, an hour, several hours. Every passing minute highlighted the growing ache in Gwen’s chest and catch in Arthur’s throat. They waited until the sun dipped below the horizon and the moon was midway across its nightly journey through the sky.

The king had been resigned quite early into the evening, deeming Merlin’s absence as a deliberate affront. Arthur simmers in the believed betrayal, worsened by the fact he had to comfort his wife as her hope that he’d eventually show up, slowly dwindled, only to be replaced by insecure hurt.

“We don’t need him, alright? Besides, we were perfectly happy without him before all of this. I never should have brought it up.” Arthur rationalizes, whether to comfort his wife, himself, or them both. He has Gwen curled over his lap, with her face buried in his abdomen.

While the king runs his hand along her back in a soothing manner, Gwen clutches at his night-shirt, muffling her anguished sighs into the soft woven fabric. “I know we were, but he said he wanted to join us tonight and I thought he meant it. I at least thought he’d come visit, stay for awhile and talk more, even if he didn’t want to join us in bed.”

“He must find it amusing to play with our feelings.” The blond sneers.

Gwen pushes her fist momentarily into his stomach in lighthearted chastisement, “Darling, I’m sure that’s not true. Perhaps, I wasn’t direct enough.”

“What did you say?” Arthur laces his unoccupied fingers with the tensely clenched ones resting against his gut.

In response, Gwen attempts to summarize her and Merlin’s conversation in the east corridor, “I told him how amazing he is, how we see him right beside us, and that we wanted him with us tonight.”

“That seems pretty direct to me.”

Gwen sighs, “Yeah.”

The king grunts out, “I’ll have words with him in the morning.” For a second, he tightens his hold on their clasped hands.

“Maybe we still have a chance.” Gwen returns the squeeze.

“Yeah, maybe,” Arthur replies doubtfully.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merlin never showed up to their chambers and Arthur confronts him.

Arthur storms into Merlin’s chambers without knocking. He wastes no time, huffing, “Where were you last night?” Merlin startles where he sits at his desk, which is cluttered with various pieces of parchment opened tomes, and bottles full of dubious liquids.

“’Hello Merlin, how are you? Me? I’m wonderful Arthur, thanks for asking’,” the infuriating man says without an ounce of shame.

Arthur decides to humor the warlock to avoid derailing the coming conversation but silently bristles. “Yes, hello,” the blond grits out before demanding. “Now, where were you?”

“What do you mean?” Merlin says innocently which irritates Arthur even further. The king crosses his arms and taps his foot in annoyance. Arthur wouldn’t put it past Merlin to purposefully pretend to be obtuse as he, apparently, has a history of acting a fool in front of Arthur for years to disguise his use of magic. Arthur remains reluctant to acknowledge all of Merlin’s heroic acts out loud, though he will admit to himself that the thought of Merlin in danger far from agrees with him.

“Gwen asked you to join us, correct?” It seems he will need to elaborate if his idiot sorcerer is to understand him. Merlin might not be a true fool, but he is a complete moron sometimes, including the current situation.

“Yes, I did join you. Dinner was lovely, I’m glad I got to share it with you two. We’re all usually too busy.” Arthur hums his agreement, but his anger is far from abated, even if the affectionate smile Merlin has directed at him urges him to swoop down and pull the sorcerer into his arms.

“Merlin, be serious for once in your life! I meant where were you after dinner?” he asks heatedly, swiping his gaze over Merlin’s expression, searching.

The brunette’s brow twitches, his smile waning faintly. He replies with a tone that suggests clear confusion. “I was in my room, reading up on spells for increased harvests. I know the crop yields haven’t been too bountiful lately.” Of course, Merlin is thinking ahead for the sake of Camelot.

The king feels himself settle as his anger unfurls and softens his tone. “And then?”

“And then nothing? I went to bed.” Arthur mentally sighs. The most powerful sorcerer in all of Albion sits in front of him unable to grasp what he’s hinting at and the king can only chuckle silently.

“You were supposed to come to our bedchambers.” The blond states, shifting his stance to a more open one.

“I was?” Merlin tilts his head, squinting his eyes in adorable confusion.

“Yes, Merlin. Gwen asked you to and you said ‘yes’.” Arthur brushes his hand through his hair and sighs at the ridiculously slow man in front of him, but he can’t help but forgive him. Merlin is always so sincere with him, even if they’re teasing each other, it’s always laced with that undertone of genuine fondness.

“Oooh, I thought she just meant for dinner.” The sorcerer swivels towards him more fully, gazing up at him softly where Arthur stands behind his chair.

“She meant for much more than dinner,” Arthur hints.

Merlin finally stands, stepping around his chair, and kicking it backwards with his foot so he can stand closer to the king. Arthur reaches forward and grabs his surprisingly strong shoulder, idly squeezing until the tension in the warlock’s shoulder releases.

Merlin tilts his head to the side. “Oh, then I’m sorry I didn’t come.”

“Yeah, us too.” Arthur digs his thumb into the join between Merlin’s shoulder and neck.

The king feels himself tensing when Merlin sways closer to him, smirking. “Gwen told me what you really thought about me,” the sorcerer offers smugly.

“Did she now?” Arthur quips back.

“Uh huh.” Merlin singsongs, suitably pleased with himself. “Turns out, you’re not as much of an arse as I thought. She tells me you’re really a big softy.”

“I assure you, I’m not. Not where it counts,” he rumbles back.

“Sure, Arthur,” the sorcerer lilts, unimpressed. “But actions speak louder than words, my king.”

“You’re right, they do.” Arthur slides a hand from the surprisingly firm shoulder down Merlin’s arm and snatches his hand to kiss the back of it.

“Sire?”

Arthur looks up at him with a heated expression, trying for a seductive tone. “We want you to join us in our bedchamber tonight. You will come.”

“I’ll be there,” Merlin agrees, suddenly chipper.

“Good,” the blond squeezes Merlin’s hand before allowing it to drop, then pats his shoulder twice. “Make sure that you are.”

***

Arthur stalks up to Gwen in the hallway after dinner, grabs the hand hanging down at her side and wrapping it around his forearm in a mockery of a princely escort. “Guinevere,” he says pointedly.

“Yes?” she asks, indifferent to his smirk.

“Are you going to ask how my talk with Merlin went?” he prompts, incredibly smug while ushering Gwen towards their room.

Gwen giggles. “How did your talk with Merlin go, darling?”

“It went well, my love.”

“What did he say?”

“Well, he mentioned putting words to actions and then was very eager to come to our chambers tonight,” he pats Gwen on the hand where it sits in the crook of his elbow.

“That sounds promising,” she grins sharply at Arthur.

“Yes, it does.”

They continue through the winding corridors until they reach the royal bedchambers. Arthur opens the door wide, sweeping Gwen into the room with a flourish, causing her to laugh uproariously.

After nervously poking around their chambers to tidy areas that were already neat and orderly, Arthur directs Gwen to sit down at one of the chairs facing the entrance. He kicks out the chair beside Gwen at the table. idly pulling Gwen’s hair behind her shoulder.

Arthur crosses his arms to brace himself on Gwen’s chair back. He goes to murmur reassuring phrases to his wife, but only has enough time to inhale when they hear the door rattle.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merlin finally joins them and explains himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This and the final chapter are both from Merlin's perspective.

Merlin shuffles into the royal chambers, shutting the large wooden door behind him and hearing the lock click into place as he leans against it. Merlin’s a little uncertain why he’s here.

He knows why he’s _here_. The Once and Future King wants it, so here he is. Merlin would follow Arthur anywhere and the warlock is sure Gwen could ask just about anything of him and he’d grant it in a heartbeat. Merlin is just a little unsure _why he’s here_ , in their bedroom, meeting the king and queen for some secret rendezvous.

Merlin has been missing Arthur and Gwen as of late, so he’s not necessarily complaining. It had been some time since they’d been able to have dinner together without one of them rushing out of the room to handle crucial knight business or some other sort of urgent castle politics. More recently, the sorcerer often found himself sneaking into the kitchen in the middle of the night for stale pieces of bread after focusing on a spell for hours only to eventually remember he hadn’t eaten since lunch that day. The brunette understands that’s just how responsibility works.

Overall, he’s happy, ecstatic even, to be able to spend some time with Arthur and Gwen outside of their respective courtly duties. He’s missed the casual air between them when they’re alone, as politics demands polite and appropriately respectful public conversations with the royal couple.

He’s overjoyed that Gwen feels comfortable enough around him in the mornings to lean against him as she pulls her socks up and that Arthur will allow the sorcerer to shuffle him around the room half asleep and prod his royal arse into clean clothes.

For awhile, when Merlin first became court sorcerer, he’d been absolved of all his previous manservant duties, which was very lonely and offered little opportunity to see his friends. But over time, Merlin had stolen back the more intimate responsibilities that were less physically tasking.

George, and sometimes even Harold, would muck out the king’s royal stables, wash his bed linens or clothes, as well as clean his armour. More often than not, he did allow Arthur’s attending servants to help him into his armour during normal training days, yet Merlin reserved the right to tell them to piss of anytime he wished. Merlin typically exercised this right on tournament day or when Arthur needed to lead the Knights of Camelot on some misadventure or another.

He also found that he quite enjoyed bringing Arthur food some nights when he was working late reading treatise or studying a proposed bill on trading tariffs, because he often got to sit on the table and watch Arthur work while cheekily stealing bits of his dinner. Merlin would wait long into the evening and eventually harangue and annoy Arthur into going to sleep.

Gwen was a heavy sleeper, so she was often already in bed when he deposited a dead weight and half-asleep king onto the bed and arranging him to cuddle into her. He would always smile wistfully at that. The scene was just so genuine and heartwarming, but it tugged at that lonely part of him that begged to tuck itself between them.

Anyway, it had been some time since the trio had spent time together outside of the public eye, so he was giddy, if but a little confused. He feels terrible about standing the married couple up last night, but he’s lost on why Arthur was so adamant they meet tonight. He hopes nothing’s wrong. Perhaps they need to ask his help with a magical issue, although it is quite late for that. Dusk had long since taken leave of Camelot’s sky as the shadows of nightfall claimed their place.

Merlin pushes off the door and addresses the occupants in the room, nodding to each as he does so. “Good evening, sire, my lady.” The king has his crossed forearms braced on the arched back of Gwen’s chair where she sits primly beside the ornate oakwood table.

As soon as Merlin hesitantly seats himself, only doing so after Arthur jerked his head towards the pulled-out chair adjacent to them to indicate he should, Gwen sets her warm hand on his knee lightly. Merlin almost startles animatedly at the unexpected touch but somehow represses it, along with the urge to place his own hand on top of hers despite his quickening heartrate. “You don’t need to address us so formally, Merlin. We are only ourselves here,” she discloses. “We’re glad you could join us this evening.”

He grins widely, mentally shaking off the fluttery feeling and replacing it with spirited bluster. “Naturally, m’lady,” he quips cheerily. Arthur rolls his eye and Gwen snorts quietly. Merlin’s lips stretch even wider when he receives the response he was after, effectively lightening the mood as he intended.

“Honestly, _Mer_ lin, do you ever listen?” the king huffs at him good-naturedly.

Merlin gasps theatrically, “My king, are you suggesting I haven’t served you faithfully all these years? You’re breaking my heart.”

“Oh, shut it, I distinctly remember you admitting you went behind my back and only ever did the exact opposite of what I asked of you at every turn.” Merlin silently congratulates himself on that accomplishment. It did take quite a bit of hard work to completely disobey Arthur without him being any the wiser.

“Yes, well, most of your orders were not in your, or Camelot’s, best interest, so you’re actually quite lucky I never listened.”

Arthur suddenly leans awkwardly over Gwen to stretch far enough to childishly flick him lightly on the forehead. “ _You_ are a _menace_ and I should have you put in the stocks for thinking you’re so funny.”

Merlin rubs his forehead, sulking. “I _am_ funny, you just don’t appreciate clever wit when you hear it.” As Arthur jerks to swat at him again, Merlin turns to the queen, “Gwen,” he whines. “Arthur’s being a brute.”

Gwen looks incredibly bemused if not entirely exasperated with their childish antics. She pats Merlin on the knee comfortingly. “Arthur, dear. Be nice to Merlin, won’t you? He’s delicate.” Merlin squawks indignantly and the king absolutely guffaws, burying his laughter in Gwen’s dense hair.

Betrayed, Merlin shifts his gaze to the side, but slowly brings it back to the smiling pair as he feels Gwen rub soothing circles into his knee through his thin summer robe. He melts instantly when he sees Gwen’s soft expression and Arthur’s amused smirk. Merlin thinks they look beautiful like this.

His heart clenches when he remembers that they belong to each other. No matter how many times Merlin catches Gwen’s hand for a friendly squeeze in the halls or Arthur’s fond gaze across the training field, believing it mean’s anything _more_ than is just wishful thinking.

Merlin is grateful that the king and queen have tried to assure him of where he stands lately. They both seemed to appreciate that he had retained some of his responsibilities as Arthur’s manservant and had expanded his scope of duties to include what Gwen required as well. In fact, they insisted on _sharing_ him.

Yet Gwen had gone a step further and told him he was special, that he meant more to them than his abilities as a manservant and sorcerer, that he was on equal footing with Gwen _and_ Arthur. He was overjoyed when she had sweetly invited him to dinner. He knows she only meant it as a friend, but he can’t help but long for the brush of her lips on his cheek and her soft words of praise to mean something more.

Despite Gwen divulging that Arthur appreciated their friendship as much as the queen herself, he didn’t believe it fully until Arthur had admitted it straight to his face after yelling at him for misinterpreting Gwen’s invitation. The king even invited Merlin to their chamber’s himself. He might have demanded his presence, but Arthur wanted him to come for the same reasons the queen did, so Merlin chose to ignore the king’s angry tone in favor of acknowledging the sentiment behind the invitation. As Arthur said, ‘actions speak louder than words’ and the king kissing his hand affectionately spoke much louder than his arrogant tone, even if it did leave Merlin shaking with suppressed longing.

When Merlin focuses back in on the present, both Pendragons are looking at him with concerned expressions. Without his notice Gwen has shifted so their knees touch. As she furrows her brow at him, she picks up his hands to place them on her lap, covering them with her own calloused grip and running her thumbs along Merlin’s knuckles.

He swallows audibly. “Um . . .” Merlin feels lost. This situation feels more tense than he’d anticipated. Merlin hopes they’ll just spit out whatever it is they asked him here for. 

“You don’t need to be nervous, it’s just us,” Gwen consoles.

“I know that. I’m just unsure what you’re waiting for,” he says.

A smile overtakes the queen’s face. She squeezes his hands once before abruptly surging forward and _kissing him on the lips._ The soft peck is over quickly before Gwen leans back into her own chair.

If Merlin’s heart was pounding in his chest before, it is thundering now. His breath catches and he stares with unmitigated awe and bewilderment. _What?_


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The misunderstanding is finally addressed.

“What?” Merlin expresses out loud. When they don’t answer immediately, he repeats, “ _What?”_

Gwen looks up at Arthur guiltily and the king leans down and adjusts his arms, so they wrap around the queen’s shoulders and clasp in front of her collar bone. He gives her a reassuring look and she turns back to the dumfounded sorcerer with a guarded expression. Merlin is waiting for Arthur to start yelling in a jealous rage but it never happens.

“Merlin, we- . . .” the king starts but the brunette interrupts him.

“What the hell just happened? Gwen just _kissed me_?” he breath’s shrilly in disbelief.

“Yes? Did you-“ she pauses and finishes quietly “did you not want that?” Gwen looks so crestfallen as she says this and presses herself more fully into the king behind her.

Hope blooms in his chest but he’s quick to reign it in. “I- I don’t _not_ want that.”

“Make up your mind Merlin. Can we kiss you or not?” Arthur huffs. Merlin is even more confused. He thought Arthur would be upset that Merlin _kissed his wife_. His mind cannot catch up to the situation as it stands.

Then the baffled sorcerer finally picks through what the king said, “ _We?”_ he chokes. “What is going on here? Are you enchanted? I haven’t sensed any sorcerer in the castle lately.”

“We’re not enchanted _for God’s sake Merlin_ ; how many times do we have to ask you? We want you to be our consort!” Arthur states gruffly.

Merlin can only get out a strangled noise.

“You never asked that!” Merlin denies vehemently.

“Yes, we _did_. You walked in on us arguing about you,” the king argues back. He stands back up to place his hands on the back of Gwen’s chair with a bruising grip.

“Yeah, I got that bit,” Merlin puffs. He’s not an idiot no matter how many times Arthur says it.

“We’ve been flirting with you all week,” Gwen chimes in.

“You have?” The brunette tries to rethink every conversation he had with the royal couple the past few days.

“ _Yes Merlin!”_ they respond simultaneously, both equally heated.

It finally clicks that Arthur and Gwen _want him back._ He could shout for joy if he weren’t so intensely flustered. He really is an idiot.

“You didn’t say the _words_. I didn’t know what you meant.” Merlin tries to defend himself.

“We asked to share you, Merlin! How did that not seep into your thick skull?” Arthur bellows. The warlock shrinks into his chair.

“I thought you meant as a manservant at first, that’s why I said you’d already been sharing me.” He can’t look at them he’s so dismayed.

“What about when we spoke in the hallway?” Gwen asks.

“I thought you were just reassuring me that my position as court sorcerer was equal to your status as king and queen, at least between us three.”

Before Gwen can respond, Arthur interjects. “ _Merlin_ , I kissed you on the hand like a courting maiden, we talked about the hardness of my cock and putting words to actions, _then I invited you into our bedchambers!”_

“Oh.” Merlin squeaks. _Oh._ If Merlin’s face could become more flustered it would. He can hear the blood rushing in his ears. The warlock had unwittingly flirted back with Arthur and engaged in conversation about the king’s royal prick.

“ _Oh?”_ Arthur mocks.

“I didn’t realize that’s what was happening?” his voice is thin.

“ _You didn’t realize_?” Arthur throws his arms up in the air and strops away to lean against the poster of his bed.

“I’m realizing now, alright?” Merlin calls after him. The sorcerer fumbles to follow the distraught king, but halts mid-step and stumbles when Arthur glares at him.

“And?” The blond prompts from his distant position.

“And I need a minute to process this.” Merlin announces. He breathes slowly, composing himself after glancing at Gwen where she has slowly risen from her seat and Arthur at his stubbornly isolated spot by the bed. “So, you, both of you, were fighting over me.”

“Yes,” Arthur agrees. Merlin can’t help but stare helplessly at him.

“And you both have feelings for me.”

“Yes,” the queen this time. Merlin turns to her.

“Romantic feelings,” Merlin clarifies.

“Yes,” Gwen continues.

“And you want me as a consort.”

“Yes,”

“And, _oh god_ , you want me in your bed, in a sexual context.”

 _“Yes,_ _Merlin!_ How many times do we need to say it?” Arthur demands heatedly. Merlin can see his jaw tense even from his position several steps away.

Gwen takes a tentative step towards him. “Please, Merlin, stop teasing us. We’ll completely understand if you don’t want us that way, but just give us an answer.” The queen’s pleading tone and disheartened gaze are what finally allow him to _get it._ She means it, they both do, and they feel vulnerable. Like he doesn’t want them, because he’s an absolute _moron_ and didn’t tell them he’d be their _consort_ when they had asked him repeatedly. _Fuck,_ Merlin feels distraught and frantic, he can barely think.

Merlin is frantic to reassure her. Desperate for Gwen and Arthur to understand him, to spill everything he’s ever held back. “ _Yes_ ,” his voice breaks as he reaches out for her. _“_ I want that. I’ve never wanted anything more. I’m sorry I didn’t realize from the beginning; I didn’t think you’d ever return my feelings. I can’t believe- How long have you both felt this way? Am I dreaming? Are you sure neither of you are enchanted? What-“

“ _Breathe_ , Merlin.” Gwen walks over to wrap her arms around him. “We’ve both felt this way a long time, we only just recently admitted it to each other though.” She gazes up at him, eyes glossy.

“Can you kiss me again?” he breathes. She tilts her head up and gives him a fleeting kiss and Merlin melts into her wrapping his hands behind the small of her back to pull her closer. He rests his head on her shoulder. “I’m okay now, just overwhelmed.”

“Us too. We thought you were playing with our feelings when you didn’t show up last night.” Gwen aimlessly rubs his back in broad strokes.

Merlin gasps, affronted. “ _Never_. I wouldn’t- _couldn’t_ do that to you. I would rather die than cause you unhappiness.” He blinks, looking between them, attempting to convince them with his seeking gaze alone.

It seems as though he does, because in the next moment Gwen jerks upwards again in an impulsive, deep kiss. When she breaks away, she questions, “Merlin, will you join us in our bed tonight? We don’t have to do anything sexual -tonight or ever- if you don’t want to.”

Merlin swallows, his throat suddenly dry. “I want to.”

“Are you sure?” She tips back to settle her warm brown eyes on him.

“Yes,” he confirms.

“With both of us?” Gwen motions her head towards Arthur where he stands watching them intently.

Merlin nods sharply in agreement. “Yes, a thousand times yes. Whatever you’ll give me.” Gwen smiles at him sweetly, until she turns her attention to Arthur and beckons him over.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Misunderstanding addressed, Gwen and Arthur tell Merlin how they feel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, was anyone gonna tell me that “all right” is officially the correct way to spell “alright” or was I just supposed to have an existential crisis while searching for synonyms of “alright” while writing this and find out myself?

Before any nervousness can form, she resets her focus on Merlin and the heated look in her eyes weakens his knees. She trails her hand up to caress his cheek, before hauling him down into another kiss. He returns it with as much intensity as she gives, smushing their noses together as they switch angles, nipping at her top lip after she does the same to him, meeting her tongue when she tests his limits, and breathing harshly through his nose as she steals all the breath from him.

It’s all consuming, so much so that he doesn’t notice when Arthur reaches them. He realizes that Arthur has laid an arm around the queen’s lower back, just under where his own arms lay, while the other has circled around his own hips, a strong, claiming grip on Merlin’s far hip. The warlock gasps into the queen’s mouth.

“What about me?” the king leaves the question in the space between them.

Gwen delves into a fierce parting kiss before reluctantly pulling away to address her husband. “Uh uh, his lips are mine, remember?” Merlin makes another strangled sound which is quickly becoming the norm when he cannot possibly fathom the ridiculous things these two say. They ignore him, which Merlin finds is better than acknowledging his unseemly baffled noises.

“Uggh, fine then. You can keep his mouth occupied then, while I investigate the rest of him” He lays a kiss against Merlin’s jawline. Merlin breaths deeply, bracing himself.

“Whatever, Arthur.” Gwen rolls her eyes at him and Merlin just enjoys the feeling of Arthur’s mouth on him, tilting his head back to give him more access.

Merlin can feel his lips move against his flushed skin as he responds gruffly. “Don’t get all huffy with me, you were the one that refused to share his lips.” Arthur nips against his jaw and hums in approval when Merlin’s breath hitches.

“That’s only because _you_ claimed his ears even though _I_ would appreciate them far more.” The king trails over to his ears as if to brag causing the warlock to hiss sharply.

“Sure sure, I think you just like teasing me,” the timbre of Arthur’s tone is seductive, and it consumes Merlin’s every thought.

“Mmm, I do like that, yes.” No. There’s enough room in his racing thoughts for the way Gwen purrs back at the blond as well.

Merlin groans, “Gods, is this what you were arguing about before I walked in the other day?”

“Mmhmm” Gwen croons against his lips.

“Yeah,” Arthur nips a sensitive spot then laves his tongue over it in apology when Merlin hisses again.

“Am I really worth all this fighting?” he questions hoarsely.

“You’re worth everything, Merlin!” Gwen corrects and Merlin chokes on a moan. Arthur halts his motions and turns to the queen for her lead.

“Are you alright? We aren’t making you uncomfortable, are we? We can stop this if you like.” The queen, apparently misunderstanding that he’s far from uncomfortable, fervidly tries to rectify the perceived wrong.

“NO! No, please, you can do whatever you want. You both fighting over me is something I, apparently, find unrelentingly hot.” Merlin is quick to clarify.

Arthur drifts back to his ear and purrs. “Hear that Gwen? He likes us fighting over him like a child’s toy,” Warm tension tightens in his gut and he licks his dry bottom lip.

“I do” he confirms.

“What else do you like, Merlin?” Gwen asks in between mouthing up his neck and sucking on his adams apple.

“Don’t know, never done this before.”

“Really? I’m surprised no one’s bedded you before us with how gorgeous you are.” The king ponders. That warmth in his gut spreads to his chest and he tries to bite back another embarrassing moan. He feels Arthur chuckle against him when he fails to restrain it entirely. It seems he’s been caught out.

Heart hammering against his ribcage, he takes a steadying breath and tries to gain some semblance of control by surprising them with sincerity. “No, no one. I’ve been too in love with both of you to even think of anyone else.” Arthur tightens his grip on his waist.

Gwen cuddles into him and responds just as sincerely, “Love you too.”

“Really?” She tilts her head up to look at him softly.

“Really. It wasn’t hard to fall for you. I was besotted with you when we first me, you know. I pushed it aside when it seemed as though you weren’t interested, but it didn’t take much to rekindle my feelings for you.”

“I never realized,” he says despondently, feeling guilty.

“I know, it’s okay. I’m sure you were busy running after Arthur, protecting him and all that,” Arthur huffs in indignation at the slight.

Merlin snorts. “Yeah, had to save his royal arse more times than I can count.”

“Oh? I didn’t think you could count, Merlin.” Arthur teases.

“Better than you, sire”

Gwen, always the sensible one, attempts to keep them on track by goading Arthur into speaking. “Boys, boys. You’re both pretty. Now, were we not in the middle of something? I think Arthur had something to tell you, Merlin.”

“Um, yes well . . . I’ve . . . wanted you for a long while now.” Arthur tilts his head away blushing, Merlin gains confidence.

“And?” Gwen asks pointedly.

He grits his teeth and Merlin finds himself smirking. “And I’m fairly certain I’ve wanted to bed you since you stood up to me in the market, but it’s obviously more than that now.” He momentarily scrunches his nose at Gwen in a childish sneer.

While he’s distracted, Merlin leans over to whisper teasingly against the blond’s ear. “Is it? How much more?” Arthur tightens his embrace around him, nuzzling into his neck and shoulder junction to hide his blush.

“Heaps more, Merlin. As much as you’ll allow.” He says steadily into his neck. Merlin’s frozen, swallows again. He feels as though his gut is full of lead.

“There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you. For either of you. I would tear this world apart to keep you both safe.” Gwen kisses him deeply again. Arthur trails his lips over Merlin’s ear and neck, swirling around his pulse point.

Gwen pulls back. “We would too.”

It’s quite as the trio exchange metered glances while they breath together. While Merlin continues to catch his breath, Arthur tenderly traces a path up Gwen’s neck.

Eventually, he murmurs, “You didn’t tell me you loved him,” against her temple.

“I though it was implied.” Gwen lays her head down on Arthur’s shoulder to gaze fondly at Merlin, soft gleaming eyes locking with the sorcerer’s while she addresses Arthur assuredly, “You will too, soon enough.”

The king rests his chin on her head and joins her in looking at Merlin, “I don’t doubt it.”

Merlin is speechless. The delicate silence drags on while Merlin searches their steady gazes to find any reluctant shift. When there is none, the warlock allows every insecure part of him to evaporate in between their safe, affectionate embrace.

“What do you think Arthur, should we show him how much he’s worth?” Anticipation builds in him at the queen’s lilting words.

“Yes, I think we should. Come on then, Merlin, up against the pillows.” Merlin scrambles to comply.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really enjoyed writing this, especially since I finished something I started so long ago and kept at it until it was done. I've never been able to finish any WIP I started before recently, so I'm quite proud of myself. Let me know what you thought and thanks for reading.
> 
> For those wondering, I did in fact, write smut for this. It takes place directly after the end of this fic but I separated it for those who weren't interested.


End file.
